Pneumatically operated diaphragm pump



Feb. 5, 1957 w. J. HOENECKE 8 PNEUMATICALLY'OPERATED DIAPHRAGM PUMPFiled se t ze, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

1957 w. J. HOENECKE PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED DIAPHRAGM PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed Sept. 29, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

5, 1957 w. J. HOENECKE PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED DIAPHRAGM PUMP 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 29, 1952 m m m m A 7"TORA/E/S,

United States Patent PNEUNIATICALLY OPERATED DIAPHRAGM PUlVlP Walter J.Hoenecke, Waukesha, Wis. Application September 29, 1952, Serial No.312,062

2 Claims. (Cl. 103150) My present invention relates generally toimprovements in the art of pumping liquids, and relates moreparticularly to improvements in pneumatically operable diaphragm pumps.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved diaphragmpump for liquids which is exceedingly compact, light in weight, unitaryin construction, and Which is moreover highly efiicient and entirelysafe in operation under all conditions.

Many dilferent types of pumps for transferring liquids have, of course,heretofore been proposed, and these prior pumps have met with varyingdegrees of success dependent upon the intended application thereof. Forinstance, various conventional pumps are normally adapted to handlerelatively large volumes of liquid in a rather eifective manner, but dueto the fact that they are driven by gas engine or the like, they arerestricted to work above ground and in localities in which the hazardsof fire and emission of dangerous gases are not eminent, therebyresulting in the frequent necessity for long and highly i11- efiicientsuction lifts and other difiiculties. With respect to electricallypowered pumping units, there is always the danger of shock or fire dueto short-circuits and the like, and in addition, both the electricallydriven and the gas engine driven units are objectionably heavy andcumbersome and therefore not well adapted for certain applications suchas in the dewatering of trenches, shafts or other excavations. Whilecertain air operated jet type sump pumps possessing desirable safety andhead capacity features are also available, such pumps are also highlyundesirable in certain respects such as in the limited use thereofinsofar as suction lift is concerned, undesirably high air consumptionnecessary for operation, and wear and tear on working parts due to theexposure of the operating mechanisms to the muddy and gritty fluidsbeing pumped. Likewise, while relatively eflicient reciprocable pistontype pumps are quite satisfactory for some applications, they have notproven satisfactory or successful in the handling of gritty solutionsdue to the high cost of maintenance; and the same is true of air motordriven centrifugal pumps in which the necessarily high rotative speedsof operation cause rapid destruction of packings and rotor vanes when itis attempted to handle abrasive fluids, the air consumption ofsuch unitsalso being undesirably high. It has also been heretofore proposed toutilize diaphragm type pumps to transfer liquids in certain instances asin excavations and the like wherein comparatively small amounts of watermust be constantly removed, but the use of such prior diaphragm typepumps has likewise been undesirably restricted because of the cumbersomeweight and bulk of such units numerous moving parts, dangerous powerapplication for operation thereof, uneven and excessive wear on thediaphragms, and extremely limited discharge height capacity thereof.

It is therefore a more specific object of the presentinvention toprovide an improved pneumatically operated diaphragm pump which obviatesall of the. above-men- 2,780,177 Patented Feb. 5, 1957 ice tionedobjections and disadvantages heretofore attendant prior liquid pumpingdevices.

Another specific object of this invention is to provide an improveddiaphragm pump which may be effectively operated by a novice with theaid of compressed air in a most reliable manner and with utmost safety.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved pumpof the diaphragm type which is highly portable and which may be safelyoperated directly in or exceptionally near to the source of liquid to bepumped.

Another specific object of my invention is to provide an improvedpneumatically operated pumping unit comprised of a minimum number ofparts, all of which are readily accessible for inspection or repair, andwhich is moreover extremely rugged and durable in construction as wellas reliable in operation and capable of handling large volumes of grittyand dirty liquids with minimum upkeep and attention.

Still another specific object of my present invention is to provide animproved pneumatically operated diaphragm pump which is entirely devoidof external moving parts and wherein the diaphragms are subjected toevenly distributed pressure and wear.

A further specific object of the present invention is to provide animproved diaphragm pump which is especially adaptable to subsurfaceoperations and which possesses high discharge head capacity, and whichmay nevertheless be manufactured, sold and operated at relatively lowcost.

An additional specific object of the present invention is to provide animproved pump comprising, means forming a chamber having segregatedpressure compartments, a flexible diaphragm spanning each of thecompartments, means connecting the diaphragms for simultaneous movementthereof, liquid inlet and discharge ports communicating with one of thecompartments, a valve for each of the ports, and means forinterchangeably introducing air under pressure to the compartments tocause the diaphragms to flex and alternately open and close the inletand discharge valves.

These and other specific objects and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the various features constituting my presentimprovements and of the mode of constructing and of utilizing diaphragmpumps constructed in ac cordance with my invention may be had byreferring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification, wherein like reference characters designate the same orsimilar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a more-or-less diagrammatic vertical section through a typicalpneumatically operated diaphragm pump embodying the invention, thediaphragms being shown at the extreme top of the suction stroke thereofand the pressure control valves being shown at the very moment of thestart of the return or discharge stroke;

Fig. 2 is a similar section through the pump but with the diaphragmsbeing shown at the extreme lower end of their stroke and with thepressure control valves being shown at the instant of the start of thesuction stroke;

Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlarged schematic sectional view of thedifferential spool type pressure control valve showing the same in theposition illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section through the pump taken alongthe line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is another transverse section through the pump taken along theirregular line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as beingspecifically embodied in a pump having a particular type of inlet anddischarge valves and housed in an annular casing and especially adaptedfor use as a sump pump for operating on water having a high percentageof materials in supension, it is not desired or intended tounnecessarily restrict or limit the scope or utility of the improvementby virtue of such specific embodiment; and it is also contemplated thatcertain specific descriptive terms used herein shall be given thebroadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawings, the improved pump assemblage comprises, ingeneral, a main outer casing 16 forming a chamber 11 centrally spannedby a hollow partition 12 to provide segregated upper lower compartments13, 14 respectively; flexi le diaphragms 15, 16 spanning the respectiveupper and lower compartments 13, 14, the diaphragms 15, 16 beingcentrally interconnected for simultaneous movement by a connecting rod17 reciprocable through a central opening 18 in the partition 12; aliquid inlet port 19 and a liquid discharge port It) in the lower casingwall, both of the ports 19, 2t) coirmunicating with the lowercompartment valves 21, 22 for the inlet and discharge ports 19,respectively; and means such as a reciprocable differential spool typevalve 23 communicating with a suitable source of compressed air supplyfor interchangeably introducing air under pressure to the respectivecompartments 15, 14 to cause the diaphragms 15, 16 to simultaneously exand alternately open and close the respective inlet and discharge valves21, 22.

The hollow partition member 12 may conveniently consist of an annularmember having outwardly flaring upper and lower Walls 25, 26respectively connected at their outer ends by an annular wall 27 formingthe intermediate wall of the main casing 10, the casing being completedby an upper dome shaped hood 28 and a lower dished end wall 29interconnected by an annular series of connecting rods 30 coacting withthe flanges 31, 32 respectively of the hood 28 and lower wall 29. Thediaphragms 15, 16 respectively may readily be conveniently peripherallyclamped between the annular flange 31 and wall 27 and the flange 32 andwall 27, and each of the diaphragms may be suitably clamped to therespective ends of the rod 17 in any convenient manner as by means ofcooperating sets of clamping disks or plates 33, 34 respectively. Toprevent leakage of air between the compartments 13, 14, a packing 35 isinterposed between the rod 17 and opening 18 of the partition 12 andsuitable sealing rings 36 or the like may be additionally provided.

The inlet port 19 communicates directly with the lower compartment 14below the diaphragm 16 and past the valve 21 with an inlet or suctionconduit 38, and the discharge or outlet port 20 likewise communicatesdirectly with the lower compartment 14 below the diaphragm 16 and pastthe valve 22 with an outlet or discharge conduit 39 to which a flexiblehose, not shown, maybe coupled for conducting the liquid pumped to anydesired locality. The valves 21, 22 may be of any suitable type, but asshown, they are of the flexible diaphragm type and communicate with thecompressed air source through the control valve 23 as will hereinaftermore fully appear. To provide a suitable standard for the unit, a flatbase 40 may be provided which is connected to the casing 10 in spacedrelation in any suitable manner as by a series of spacers or legs 41,thereby enabling placement of the pump directly in or immediatelyadjacent to the source of liquid to be pumped.

With particular reference to the air control and operating means, itwill be noted that the compressed air supply may convenientlycommunicate directly through a supply line 43 with the hollow interior44 of the partition 12, with the valve 23 being housed in a segmentalbody portion 45 of the partition which is provided with air inlet ports46, 47 communicating directly with the space 44 and with the valvechamber 48. In turn, the valve chamber 48 communicates with the uppercompartment 13 below the diaphragm 15 through a passageway 49 and withthe lower compartment 14 above the diaphragm 16 through a passageway 50,the valve ehamber 48 also being vented to the atmosphere throughpassageways 51, 52 and then through an exhaust tube 53 leading to thespace immediately below the hood 28 which is vented at 54 to provide, ineffect, an exhaust mu filer. As shown more particularly in Fig. 3, thevalve spool 55 is provided with a series of flow control flanges orenlargements adapted to control the flow of air through the variousports and passageways depending upon the position of the spool 55 as itreciprocates within its chamber in addition, the opposite ends of thevalve chamber 48 are in communication with the upper and lowercompartments 13, 14 respectively through passageways or air ducts 56, 57respectively past upper and lower pilot valves 58. 59 respectively whichare adapted for actuation by the respective diaphragms 15, 16 as willhereinafter be more fully described; and the respective air conductingpassageways 49, furthermore communicate with the diaphragm typedischarge and inlet valves 22, 21 respectively through auxiliary ductsor passageways 6t 61 respcctively.

In operation, air under pressure is constantly admitted to the space 44by way of the supply line 43 from any suitable source of compressed airsupply; and referring now to Fig. l, the diaphragms 15, 16 have justbeen raised to their uppermost positions to thereby raise the pilotvalve 59 from its seat as shown, thus venting the inner end of the valvechamber 48 to atmosphere through ducts 57, 50, 52 and permitting thevalve spool to reciprocate to the extreme left position shown by reasonof air under pressure accumulated in the passageway 56 and acting on thevalve 55 at the opposite end of the Y chamber 48. In such position, thecompartment 13 below the diaphragm 15 is vented to the atmospherethrough the passageways 49, 51 as shown and the pilot valve 58 is seatedby the compressed air admitted through the passageway 62. On the otherhand, compressed air from the space 44 is being admitted through theport 47 to the chamber 14 above the diaphragm 16 by way of the duct 50and air is also able to be admitted to the lower side of the diaphragmvalve 21 through the passageway 61. As the valve 21 is closed by airunder pressure, the compressed air entering the chamber 14 above thediaphragm 16 also acts on the upper side of this diaphragm to cause thediaphragms 15, 16 to simultaneously move downwardly, the air from withinthe chamber 13 and that below the diaphragm valve 22 being exhaustedthrough the ports 49, 60, 51 and the tube 53, thereby causing collapseor retraction of the valve 22 and forcing the liquid from within thechamber 14 below the diaphragm 16 outwardly through the discharge outlet39. As the diapragms 15, 16 reach the lowermost end of their stroke, theupper diaphragm 15 depresses the pilot va.ve 58 as shown in Fig. 2venting the extreme right end of the valve chamber 48 to the atmospherethrough the ducts 56, 49, 51 to thereby unbalance the pressures withinthe chamber 48 and cause the valve spool 55 to reciprocate to the rightas shown in Fig. 2. Immediately thereafter, the air pressure builds upthrough the port 46 within the passageways 49, 60, causing the dischargevalve 22 to expand and seat itself to seal the discharge port 26.Simultaneously, the inlet valve 21 and the up side of the diaphragm 16are vented to the atmosphere through the respective passageways 61, 50,52 and exhaust tube 53, and the pressure also continues to build upbelow the diaphragm 15 within the compartment 13 to positively seat thepilot valve 59 and also cause upward flexing of the diaphragms 15, 16.Such action continues automatically as long as air is supplied to thespace 44, the air pressure being interchangeably introduced to thecompartments 13, 14 thereby causing the diaphragms to flex in alternatedirections and alternately opening and closing the inlet and dischargevalves for sucking liquid into the compartment 14 below the diaphragm 16and thereafter dischar ing the same from the compartment 14.

From the foregoing detailed description it is apparent that the presentinvention contemplates provision of an improved unitary pneumaticallyoperated diaphragm valve which is exceptionally compact and portable aswell as relatively simple and inexpensive in construction. Obviously,the improved unit comprises relatively few parts, all of which arereadily accessible but which are nevertheless effectively housed andprotected from grit and the like. The three piece main casing may bereadily dismantled by removal of the tie rods 30 in an obvious mannerwhereupon access may be obtained to all parts. The compressed air sourcefor operating the improved pump may of course be located at a remotepoint and may be connected in a well known manner bymeans of a flexibletube to the space 44. The action of the spool type valve 23 iscompletely automatic, with the valve being entirely segregated andefiectively housed so as not to contactthe liquid being pumped. Theupper and lower diaphragms 15, 16 respectively are inter-connected in anovel manner so as to insure against angular distortion which wouldnaturally hasten the destruction of the dia phragms, and while both ofthe elements 15, 16 have been shown and described herein as beingflexible diaphragms of rubber or the like, the upper diaphragm may bereplaced'by a suitable piston operating within a chamber communicatingwith the passageways 49, 56 and 62 as hereinabove described. Obviously,the improved units may be placed either directly in the source of liquidto be pumped or directly adjacent thereto without danger of shock orexplosion due to electrical supply or exhaust gas fumes; and when theunit is used as a sump pump operating on liquids containing aconsiderable amount of grit and dirt DI the like in suspension, it ishighly preferable to surround the inlet 38 with a suitable screen or thelike, a fragment of which is shown at 63, to filter the liquid beingpumped. It is also highly desirable to form the space 44 as large aspossible so that this space likewise serves as a sediment chamber,permitting any materials conducted thereto with the compressed air tosettle within the space 44 before the air is conducted through the valve23.

It should be understood that it is not desired or intended to limit thisinvention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode ofuse herein shown and described, since various modifications within thescope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art, towhich this invention pertains.

I claim:

1. A pump comprising, a casing having therein a partition dividing itsinterior into two separate chambers, a flexible diaphragm spanning anddividing each chamber into segregated inner and outer spaces the formerof which adjoin while the latter are located remote from said partition,means interconnecting said diaphragms to cause simultaneous flexingthereof in like directions, liquid inlet and discharge portscommunicating with one of said outer spaces and each being provided witha liquid flow control valve, a valve chamber formed in said partition, acompressed air supply conduit communieating with said valve chamber andhaving branches extending from said chamber and communicable with eachof said inner spaces, it spent air exhaust conduit also communicablewith each inner space through said valve chamber and said supply conduitbranches, a control valve having actuating faces and being reciprocablewithin said valve chamber for admitting compressed air through one ofsaid branches to one of said inner spaces while simultaneouslyconnecting the exhaust conduit of the other inner space with the ambientatmosphere, and pilot valves alternately directly operable by theflexing of said diaphragms in opposite directions to vent said valvechamber on alternately opposite sides of the valve actuating faces toatmosphere and thereby effect operation of said control valve.

2. A pump comprising, a casing having therein a partition dividing itsinterior into two separate chambers, a flexible diaphragm spanning anddividing each chamher into segregated inner and outer spaces the formerof which adjoin while the latter are located remote from said partition,means interconnecting said diaphragms to cause simultaneous flexingthereof in like directions, liquid inlet and discharge portscommunicating with one of said outer spaces and each being provided witha liquid flow control valve, a valve chamber formed in said partition, acompressed air supply conduit communicating with said valve chamber andhaving branches extending from said chamber and communicable with eachof said inner spaces, a spent air exhaust conduit also communicable witheach inner space through said valve chamber and said supply conduitbranches, a control valve having opposed faces and being reciprocablewithin said valve chamber for admitting compressed air through one ofsaid branches to one of said inner spaces while simultaneouslyconnecting the exhaust conduit of the other inner space with the ambientatmosphere, means forming a passage communicable with each of said innerspaces and with opposite faces of said control valve, and a pair ofpilot valves in said passage, said pilot valves each having an actuatingportion extending into one of said inner spaces and being alternatelydirectly operable by the flexing of said diaphragms to vent said valvechamber on alternately opposite sides of the control valve faces toatmosphere and thereby elfect reciprocation of. said control valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS491,116 Keeney Feb. 7, 1893 514,608 Weather-head Feb. 13, 1894 1,834,957Marlow Dec; 8, 1931 2,383,193 Herbert Aug. 21, 1945 2,391,605 WaltonDec. 25, 1945 2,598,207 Bailey May 27, 1952 2,625,886 Browne Ian. 20,1953 2,702,006 Bachert Feb. 15, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 697,303 GermanyOct. 10, 1940

